The Cold
by Ravlia
Summary: She watched the moon as tears lined her cheeks, thinking about his hurtful words. A soft rain started to fall, yet the moon still shone brightly and beautifully. "Why is it so cold?" She wondered. SesshomaruXOC
1. The Cold Prologue

The Cold: Prologue

The day was warm and bright, with very few clouds in the pristine blue sky. Two girls lay under a white flowering tree as a breeze blows small petals down to the lush green grass and the females.

"Kiyoko, look! That one reminds me of a neko!" The younger of the two spoke while pointing toward a cloud. Her white wolf ears and tail were twitching with excitement. Her vibrant emerald eyes smiling as she moved some of her unkempt midnight blue locks out of her face with a lightly tanned hand.

"I see it, Fuyuko." The elder girl smiled. She sat up fanning her light, almost white, blue hair to remove some blades of grass. Her eyes, a lighter green than the other girls, wandered over to her companion. She smiled as her pale hand took the younger girl's. "Come sister, we should be getting back now; else father will tan both our hides."

"You know if we just give him the big eyes he can't stay mad at us." Fuyuko smiled until she caught the look on her sister's face. "It's such a beautiful day out though! I'd rather roll in the grass all day then go to some snobby yokai lord's gathering!" The hanyou huffed out, lowering her ears to her head. "What could be so important that we have to go with him?"

"I've already told you; he, as in the Lord of the West, is looking to help his son find a mate." Kiyoko sighed, exasperated with her sister's whining.

"What if he picks one of us?" Fuyuko spoke softly as she sat up and drew her knees to her chest. "Will we ever get to see father or each other again?" The young half wolf sounded distraught at the mere thought of losing her only two family members.

"Stop worrying so much, sister. Something would be worked out." The yokai took the younger girl's hand in hers and gave it a tight squeeze. They looked at each other and smiled affectionately. "Now let us be off before father comes looking for us."

"Right, and remember the big eyes if he gets mad!" Laughing, they brushed themselves off and dashed toward their home, unbeknown to the sisters that they were being watched.

…

"Where are those girls at?" A tall man spoke as he paced back and forth in his cave like room. His midnight hair was tied back with a few shorter locks hanging in front of his emerald eyes. He was dressed in a more formal fashion with a dark colored fur cape hanging from his shoulders.

"I am positive they are fine, my lord." A scruffier looking man spoke up from behind the looming figure.

"I know they are perfectly capable of taking care of taking care of themselves, Daisuke. Yet, a father cannot help but worry about his daughters' safety." The man sighed as he stopped his pacing, glancing about the room. "I just wish that both of their mothers were here to see them this day."

"They would both be joyful, Lord Hajime." Daisuke watched his lord with concern in his pale blue eyes. He knew the daiyokai worried when his daughters left his sight, more so with his youngest. The girls were always together though, no matter where they went, as they would be tonight.

Hajime smiled softly as the scent of his beloved daughters drew nearer to his chambers. He loved them both deeply, even the hanyou, where most would turn her away he accepted her for who she was. He saw a more of him in the younger but her personality matched her mothers, while the eldest took after her mother yet with his personality.

"They have returned, my lord, would you like me to bring them to you before they get prepared or after?" Daisuke kept his head bowed as he spoke.

"After would be lovely, thank you, Daisuke, you're dismissed until they are ready." Hajime smiled at his faithful companion who nodded before taking his leave. "Those girls are going to be a handful either way when I wish to talk to them, may as well tell them to uses proper etiquette before we leave so they keep it in their heads. Asami, Harumi, I wish both of you could be here to see our girls." He reminisced.

…

"Do I have to get a bath?" Fuyuko whined as she was undressed by two of her personal maids.

"Yes you do sister, if you want to have a chance at catching the young Inu lord's eye." Kiyoko teased her little sister. Her soft hair was being done up in a fancy half up half down style. She watched her sister blush and smiled softly.

"N-no! I don't want to impress him!" She averted her gaze from her elder sister as she was sat in a hot tub of water. "Hot!" The midnight haired girl yelped and her tail shot out of the water, splashing some of the water around violently.

"Hey!" Kiyoko scolded. "Watch that tail of yours!"

"Sorry sister." Fuyuko smiled sheepishly.

The maids finished getting the girls ready, each looking elegant and beautiful but not over the top. Soon, Daisuke came to tell them that their father wanted a word with them. The girls looked at one another before complying with their father's wishes.

"Ah, my two favorite, most beautiful girls in the whole land." Hajime smiled as the siblings walked into his chambers. "Come sit with me before we depart." The girls glanced at one another before sitting on either side of the large man they called father. "Your mothers would be so proud to see you all dressed up."

Both girls looked taken back their father's words, for neither had heard him speak about both their mothers while they were in the same room. "Don't look so shocked, I only wanted to talk to you girls about how to behave at the court." Hajime smiled as he watched his girls relax. He went through all the things he remembered from the last time he was in the presence of the Inu Daiyokai.

Daisuke arrived as soon as it was time to depart, being the only other one that was going with them. They all flew through the skies on Hajime's back as he had transformed into a large white wolf. It took them less than an hour to arrive in that fashion, yet by then it had turned to night. The girls were shocked when they saw the large castle that belonged to the Lord of the West.

"It's so big and it sparkles!" Fuyuko gazed at the castle in awe. "We get to have a gathering inside of it! I'm so excited!" Her tail twitched with her enthusiasm.

"Calm down, Hun." Hajime's deep voice hinted humor at his youngest daughter's excitement. "Remember your manners and stay close to us." Though he and his clan accepted the young hanyou, he was terrified of what would happen if he lost her to the hands of another demon lord.

"It's alright, father." Kiyoko rested her pale hand on her father's arm, knowing his worry for her sister. 'If something would happen to Fuyuko, demon lord or not, I'd rip out their throat.' She thought, dangerously, her calm demeanor faltering for a second.

The three wolves and hanyou made their way into the great hall, where other yokai were chatting, dancing and all around having a blast. Fuyuko was in awe at all the sights around her, but her eyes stopped moving when they landed on him.

The male had an air of elegance and dignity about him, his movements fluid and swift. His silvery white hair cascaded down his back and his eyes were made of molten gold. Two magenta stripes marked his cheeks just under the golden pools, a magenta stripe on each of his eyelids as well as an indigo crescent moon resting on his brow. He was simply breath taking to the young hanyou.

Kiyoko noticed her sister staring at the young lord and smiled, finding the younger girl was instantly attracted to him. She then spotted the Lord of the West himself, as well as his mate. Their small group approached the lord and his family.

"Hajime!" The Inu Daiyokai greeted the wolf with a mighty hand shake, all smiles.

"Inu no Taisho, it has been a long time old friend." Hajime smiled. "You haven't aged a bit since we last saw one another!"

"You seem to have a few more gray hairs since we last met." The western lord joked. "Your girls giving you that much trouble?"

"If only you knew." The wolf smiled his trade mark grin. "And your boy is a lot bigger from when I last saw him!"

"He was but a pup the last time you saw him, it has been a few hundred years since we last chatted." Inu no Taisho smiled as his gaze went to the eldest of his friend's daughters. "You must be Kiyoko. You look so much like your late mother." He watched as the girl bowed and smiled politely at him. He turned his gaze to the younger girl, noticing her ears and tail as well as where she was staring. "This little cutie must be Fuyuko!" The girl snapped to attention as she heard her name and bowed quickly.

"Ah, a hanyou." The western lady, Inukimi spoke softly from behind her mate. "I knew I smelled the foul stench of human coming from somewhere." Her eyes were narrowed as she saw the midnight haired girl flinch at her harsh words. She had also seen how the girl was staring at her only son.

"Dear." Inu no Taisho said with a stern warning in his voice, telling her not to insult his guests. He also noticed how the young girl's ears had lost their perkiness.

"Father, I'm going to go outside to get some fresh air." Fuyuko kept her eyes down as she spoke. "It was nice to meet you, Lord Inu, your family as well." She bowed as she made her way back outside.

"We shall have a long talk after this night is over." The daiyokai growled over at his mate, who just narrowed her golden eyes at him. "I apologize for the rude way Inukimi spoke of your daughter, Hajime." He smiled sadly, noticing the girls sister had a death glare pointed at his mate. He then noticed his son had gone outside not too far behind the young hanyou. 'He's probably just curious of the poor thing.' He thought.

…

Fuyuko sat in a tree just off a few yards from the castle gates, looking down at her feet. Tears glistened in her emerald orbs as she thought of the beautiful demoness' harsh words. She couldn't help that she was half human, and no one at home had harassed her for being such. A few of the tears finally spilled over and dripped off of her chin to the ground below.

Sesshomaru found the hanyou with almost no problem due to her mingling human and wolf scent. He watched her from the shadows as a soft sob reached his ears. 'What a strange creature that hanyou is.' He thought as water came out of her eyes. His lady mother must have really upset the girl.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, not truthfully concerned for the hanyou, but more curious as to how what his mother had said had upset her.

Fuyuko gasped as the deep voice reached her ears. She looked down to see golden eyes gazing at her out of the shadows. He walked out of the shadows and his silvery hair glistened in the moonlight. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the young lord.

"Well?" he questioned as he watched her movements.

"Sorry." She apologized quickly and wiped a few tears from her eyes. "No disrespect for your lady mother, but her words… they were just so cruel." Her ears lowered down to her head at the memory.

"Hn." Sesshomaru scoffed as he turned his gaze away from her. "What would you expect? Your mother was human and humans are a disgrace." He heard her suck in a breath and watched her from the corner of his eye as she jumped out of the tree.

"Lord's son or not," Fuyuko was fuming now, "my mother was a wonderful woman from what my father tells me! Nothing can make me think otherwise!" She kept her gaze locked on his golden one. "At least their mating wasn't arranged like yours is gonna be."

"I'll get to mate, at the least, unlike you. No one wants half-blood kids… Oh wait, your father apparently did." He snarled at her.

That was the last straw, no one disrespects her father. Fuyuko dashed forward at the young daiyokai with lightning speed and slashed a claw along one of his facial stripes. He growled darkly as he caught her hand and pushed her to the ground. He poised himself over top of her and drew his other hand back by his face, a green glow surrounding his claws.

"How dare you strike out at this Sesshomaru, half breed?" He snarled into her face. She looked back at him with utter defiance in her emerald green eyes.

"You had it coming for your rudeness, mutt." She growled right back at him. He cracked his knuckles as his eyes flashed red for a brief second. His face was mere inches from hers now, his claws ready to slice into her. Fuyuko thought quickly about how to get him off of her and smirked at her plan. He saw the smirk and narrowed her eyes at her, his form more threatening than ever.

Fuyuko quickly closed the distance between them and pushed her lips to his in defense. She watched as his eyes went from angered to shocked in a matter of seconds. She hadn't imagined her first kiss being in self-defense, yet she enjoyed the feel of his soft lips on hers. She let her head fall back to the earth below her and smirked at the dumb founded look on his face.

She lifted her head up once more, her lips close to his perfectly pointed ear. "I submit; you're obviously stronger than me." Fuyuko whispered as her head fell back to the ground and she exposed her neck to him in defeat.

Sesshomaru quickly looked down at the feisty hanyou, still in shock by her actions. He watched her neck tilt and snarled at here one last time before he removed himself from her and the hard ground. He made his way back to the castle but gave the girl one last glance.

She smiled to herself and looked up at the stars, breathing in the chill night air. "That was amazing." She mused to herself as she closed her eyes. Fuyuko had never felt more alive than she had a moment ago. A soft swooshing sound came from the woods but she paid it no mind until she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She opened her eyes as she looked at the spear that protruded from her abdomen. An oozing green liquid covered most of the spear and she realized what it was as she pulled it out. It was poison.

She quickly sat up and held her bleeding wound as an arrow flew from the woods, embedding itself in her back. Fuyuko screamed in pain as she reached back and removed the arrow, seeing the green ooze on it as well. "Show yourself!" She growled.

A small group of wolf yokai walked out from between the trees and brush. "Heh… half of what I am is trying to take me down, how ironic." Another spear wielding wolf growled as he plunged the poison tipped weapon straight into her heart. He and his companions quickly departed as soon as her breathing stopped.

…

Kiyoko, worried about her sister, had gone outside to see the young lord walking up toward the entrance. She bowed politely to him as he watched her with his golden gaze. "Your sister, is a real handful is she not?" He questioned.

"Yes, my lord, she can be." Her soft green eyes lit up at a memory of the hanyou. They both froze when the scent of blood assaulted their sense of smell. "Oh no…" She muttered and took off toward where the smell was coming from, Sesshomaru right on her heels. Kiyoko definitely knew that smell, it was the smell of her sister's blood.

They made it to the spot where Sesshomaru left the young hanyou and both looked shocked. The girl before them lay in a puddle of her own blood, a spear sticking out of her chest. "No…" Kiyoko mumbled as she rushed to her sister's side, smearing blood all over her white kimono. She cradled the younger girl's body to her as she started to sob. Sesshomaru was just as shocked as the wolf before him.

….

A/N- Hey guys! I've finally come up with something that I liked, since I haven't written anything in a while, for those reading "Howls of Devastation" I apologize, but that story is on a hiatus for now. And here is a list of names and meanings!

Fuyuko-Child of winter, as in she was born in the winter.

Kiyoko- "Pure child" as in her being a pure blooded demon.

Daisuke- "Great Helper" since he's Hajime's right hand man.

Hajime- "Beginning" since he is the start of his family's line.

Asami-"Morning beauty" (Kiyoko's mother)

Harumi- "Spring beauty" (Fuyuko's mother.)


	2. The Cold Chapter 1

The Cold Chapter 1

Miyuki woke with a fright and found she was drenched in a cold sweat. "That dream again…" She spoke quietly to herself before gazing at the clock, which read three-thirty in the morning. She let a sigh pass her lips as she stood out of bed. "May as well pack some things for today…" She mused before doing just that. She was going to be spending a few days with her aunt and cousins at their shrine for old time's sake.

She then made her way into the bathroom, looking in the mirror at her mass of tangled black locks. She quickly brushed out all the knots before running a hot bath for herself. After about 20 minutes in the hot water, Miyuki redressed and headed back to her room. She pulled out her laptop and jumped straight into her e-mails. She saw one from her cousin, Kagome that said she was thrilled to see her older cousin.

"I'll probably get there when that poor girl's still asleep." She chuckled to herself before shutting the computer off and doing a few chores around the house. She completed most of them before the sun started to rise. Quickly, Miyuki went back to her room to climb out the window and watch the sun come up in all of its glory. She could still see the moon on the opposite end of the sky and smiled to herself. Her green eyes were twinkling with excitement as she watched the beautiful sky before her.

All too soon it was time for her to depart from the small home where she and her parents resided. She waved good-bye to them as she made her way down the street with a back pack filled with her essential needs toward the Higurashi Shrine.

Miyuki smiled as she quickly ascended the stairs leading up to the peaceful little shrine. As she reached the top of the stairs, she saw an elderly man sweeping dust off of a pathway. "Grandpa!" She smiled and hugged the old man.

"Ah, Miyuki it's been a while!" he smiled as he held her in a one armed hug. "Look at how tall you've grown, my my!"

"I only grew two inches in two years." The eighteen, almost nineteen year old spoke softly. "Is Kagome still asleep?" The old man nodded his head.

"Get her good, I want to be able to hear her scream from here." He chuckled as he saw the mischievous glow in the girl's eyes.

"You got it, Gramps." Miyuki giggled as she ran past him and into the small house. She slipped off her shoes at the entrance and quietly made her way up to her younger cousin's room. The perfect plan had formed in her mind as she saw the girl sleeping. She crawled into the small bed with her cousin, wrapped an arm around the girl's waist and waited. As soon as the girl stirred, she tightened her grip around her and whispered in the most masculine voice she could muster, "Mornin' babe, was last night as good for me as it was for you?"

Kagome froze at the sound of a voice and the weight wrapped around her waist. She had just gotten home from the feudal era and knew she was extremely tired, so much so she hardly made it under the covers. She screamed in alarm as the person holding her jumped out of the bed, but did not move beyond that.

Miyuki laughed quite loudly as her plan had worked. The younger girl looked around before she spotted the green-eyed menace that made her awakening quite rude. "Got ya, cuz!" she spoke between giggles.

"You scared me half to death, Miyuki!" Kagome scolded her older cousin. She then leaped from the bed and wrapped her arms around the slightly taller girl. "I missed you though! It's been what? Two years since we last saw one another? What have you been up to?"

"School mostly." The older girl smiled. Both girls stopped when they heard something on the roof. The window quickly opened and in jumped a boy with silvery white hair, with dog ears hidden in the flowing mess. His clothes were blood red and his eyes a hardened gold. His lip curled as he growled, looking at Miyuki as his hand went to the hilt of his sword.

"What happened, Kagome? Did this person try to kill you while you were sleeping?" his voice was gruff as he spoke, keeping his eyes focused on the female in front of him.

"No, no Inuyasha!" Kagome let out a brisk sigh. "This girl is my older cousin, the one that I told you was coming over." Now she had to explain to another person about the Feudal Era.

"Those ears!" Miyuki smiled as she noticed the little dog ears perched on top of Inuyasha's head. She dashed up and grabbed them between her index finger and thumb. "They're so soft!" she giggled hearing a growl from the boy. Gently, she released them and scratched behind them, the growling fading. The boy tilted his head slightly to into the touch. "Now that's a good boy!" Her eyes sparkled with amusement, the smile never leaving her lips.

"What? How are you not freaking out, Miyuki?" Kagome questioned looking dumbfounded.

"I admit, I am kind of confused." The older girl answered sheepishly as she took her had away from the boy's head, earning her a whine of protest.

"What the hell was that, you witch?" In that short time, Inuyasha had regained his composure. "What kind of damn spell was that?" He growled.

"Sit boy." Kagome spoke quickly, making the boy fall flat on his face into the hard floor. "I guess I need to explain some of the important details to you, cuz." The cousins sat on her bed as she told Miyuki the whole story, from her going to the Feudal Era to the present. The older girl was slightly taken a back but nodded in understanding why. "Well that's about it. Kagome finished and her stomach rumbled.

"Maybe you should get some breakfast before I start asking questions." Miyuki smiled. "I'll entertain doggy boy here while you freshen up." She made her way out of the room and da soft growl followed her comment.

The two made their way to the kitchen, where Mrs. Higurashi was making breakfast. "So you're the reason Kagome screamed, aren't you, Miyuki?" The woman smiled lovingly at her niece.

"Yup! I got her good this time!" She smiled at the older woman. "Then this fur ball showed up." She pointed her thumb over at Inuyasha.

"Fur ball? Why I ought a…" He froze when Miyuki started to scratch behind one of his ears.

"Such a good boy!" Miyuki laughed as she took her hand away, in which he growled at her.

"Knock that crap off, whatever kind of witch magic you're using." He spoke as he bared his fangs at her.

"It's better than getting 'sat' isn't it?" She smirked at him in which he crossed his arms over his chest and mumbled incoherently.

"You're both welcome to some breakfast." Mrs. Higurashi smiled a warm smile at them.

"Thank you, auntie!" Miyuki was famished. She hadn't eaten since being awake at such an early hour in the morning. She took a seat at the table and waited patiently.

Miyuki watched Inuyasha from the corner of her eye. She had to admit that he was cute, but knew he was off limits. Due to the tales Kagome had told her, she spoke of the boy with such a sparkle in her eye and knew that her cousin was head over heels for him. She could also tell that the boy had feelings for Kagome too, though he seemed shy to admit to them.

A few moments later and Kagome sat down at the table, and just as quickly Inuyasha took a seat beside her, far from Miyuki. She couldn't help but chuckle as she watched him try to sit awkwardly in the wooden chair. When the food was ready they ate in silence. After they were finished eating they cleaned up and went outside.

"So Miyuki, you must have some questions now." Kagome smiled as they sat under the Sacred Tree, while Inuyasha was in its branches. She watched her older cousin who stared into space thoughtfully.

"It's very lush and green there, isn't it? Trees for miles, beautiful lakes and rivers, peaceful little villages, am I right?" Miyuki smiled softly at the thought, turning her gaze to her cousin.

"Yes, it is very beautiful, with tall mountains and lush valleys. Natural hot springs even!" Kagome took in a deep breath and was filled with such excitement she could burst.

"Don't forget about the bad things too." Inuyasha scoffed from his high perch.

"Yeah… the demons." Kagome sighed, the luster leaving her eyes.

"Demons? Is that why Inuyasha has dog ears?" Miyuki looked toward her cousin, who nodded.

"He's only a half demon though, his mother was human." The younger girl earned a growl from the grouchy hanyou in the tree.

"Hmm… what about your other traveling companions? I know you've got to keep better company than fur ball up there." Miyuki chuckled as she heard a growl intended for her this time. "Down boy." Kagome giggled at her cousin's words for a second.

"Well there's Miroku, he's a monk with a curse set upon his right hand, Sango the demon slayer, and Shippo, a fox demon. We also sometimes get visits from friends of Inuyasha's father, Myoga and Totosai." Kagome concluded.

"So with the demons, do you guys fight them, from what you said earlier it seemed the case?" The emerald-eyed girl rested her chin on her knee as she pulled one of her legs to her chest.

"Sometimes yes, the one that we're going after we've battled many times. He always seems to get away somehow though." The younger girl looked down with saddened eyes.

"Must be a pain in the ass then." Miyuki sighed as she kept her gaze down, one final question reaching her mind. "Have you guys run into a demoness with pale skin, light green eyes and light blue, almost white, hair?"

"No not that I recall. Why?" Kagome looked over at her now saddened cousin.

"I keep having a dream with her in it." She sighed, not lifting her gaze. "All I remember from them is her anguished face at the end, it haunts me."

"So you wouldn't know what kind of demon she is?" The girls lifted their heads to the gruff voice. Inuyasha's gaze was curiously set on the older girl.

"No. All I know is she starts out the dream happy, but then it quickly turns to sorrow." Miyuki thought for a quick moment, another part of the dream passing through her mind. "The girl she was always with had white ears and a tail though. So maybe this other girl is a hanyou."

Kagome watched her cousin closely, seeing the dull expression in her normally sparkling eyes. "Inuyasha, I want Miyuki to come with us for a few days."

"What?" He growled softly but saw the look on Kagome's face and sighed. "Fine, but you're going to be the one looking out for her."

Miyuki stared between the two, slightly dumbfounded. "You mean to the other side of the well?" Kagome nodded a small smile gracing her lips. "What about my parents?"

"I'm sure mom can come up with an excuse for you to 'stay here' a little while longer. Besides, I miss hanging out with you!" The younger girl still had the sweet smile on her face.

"Let me gather up my things then. I'll be ready after that." Miyuki sighed, though she was very interested in going. 'I do have a sinking feeling in my stomach though.' She thought to herself as she made her way into the house to grab her things.

…

A/N- Yay the first chapter! I know it's a bit of a long shot that I'm absolutely incorrect with a lot of this stuff, but eh, details. If you like it, please don't hesitate to review! Criticism is welcome!

Miyuki- "Beautiful/Deep Snow"


	3. The Cold Chapter 2

The Cold Chapter 2

Miyuki sat on the steps leading into the shrine of the 'Bone-eater's Well.' Her heart was pounding at the thought of being able to go to another world. She closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them again she knew someone was sitting beside her.

"You're taking all of this really calmly." The gruff voice came from her new sitting companion.

"I admit, I am somewhat nervous yet excited and happy at the same time. It's not everyday someone gets to experience something like this. Well except you and Kagome of course." She smiled softly, playing with the frayed end of her jean shorts.

"I also know, from just looking at you, you're rough around the edges, but you know your feelings; especially for my little cuz." Miyuki smiled softly at seeing a slight blush on his cheeks. "All I ask for you is to treat her the best that you can, don't be afraid to show her you care. After all, she is the one that wanted you to come out here and make sure I was alright, correct?"

Inuyasha nodded, wondering how this girl knew so much from just looking at him. "How can you see so much about a person from just looking at them?" He questioned curiously.

"I'm not sure; I know I've been able to read people like this since I was small." She rested her arm over her knee and smiled at him. "Plus, I heard you and Kagome arguing about it from the window you let yourself through earlier." She pointed up to the second story of the house.

"Oh." Inuyasha muttered as he stared up at the open window. The two watched as Kagome ran out of the house with her huge yellow back pack slung around her shoulders.

"Ready to go you two?" The younger girl smiled sweetly. They nodded and stood, all of them making their way into the well house.

"I'll see you over there." Inuyasha spoke up, looking more toward Kagome before jumping into the well. He disappeared in a soft shock of blue light. Miyuki looked over the edge of the well, her fingers tightening on the edge for a second in thought. She looked over at her cousin, whose hand now rested on top of hers.

"Let's go together." Kagome chirped with her sweet voice. The older girl nodded as they both jumped over the edge of the well, still holding one another's hands. The blue light flashed in the well house one more time and then all was still and clam.

A vortex of blue surrounded the cousins, dim stars floating past them as they fell through time. Miyuki closed her eyes, feeling a little sick at watching the way time flowed around them. Kagome took notice of the other girl's discomfort and squeezed the hand she held onto gently. A white light engulfed them as they landed softly on the dark soil at the bottom of the well on the other side.

"We're here, Miyuki, surprisingly so." Kagome smiled as she looked at her older cousin.

"Surprisingly?" Her green eyes opened to look at the younger girl. "You mean to tell me it could not have worked?"

"Well, yes. Inuyasha's been the only one that's been able to come with me so far, no one else has and we've tried. Now you're here though." Kagome smiled sheepishly. Miyuki gave her cousin a sharp glare but held her tongue as she looked up out of the well. A blue sky looked down upon her with wispy clouds floating by.

"You two getting out of there or what?" They looked up to see Inuyasha peering over the edge of the well. Kagome climbed out first, and then helped Miyuki out, who gazed around in awe at the beautiful forest surrounding the well.

"Kagome's back!" They all looked at the place the happy, shrill voice came from. The small boy dashed up to Kagome and leaped into her waiting arms. Two more people then approached them from out of the shade of a nearby tree.

"Lady Kagome," The male smiled, "You have returned safely."

"Welcome back." The female spoke in a soft voice.

"Who's that?" The shrill voiced boy looked back to the other girl that had emerged from the well with Kagome.

"Hi." Miyuki spoke almost shyly. "I'm Miyuki a relative of Kagome's." The three new comers relaxed slightly at her words, as if they were anticipating her to attack. She smiled softly at them.

"Miyuki, this is Sango, Miroku and Shippo." Kagome spoke as she pointed to each person in turn. She looked over at her cousin and noticed something slightly different with the girl's hair. Glancing over at Inuyasha, it seemed that he noticed the change too.

Shippo jumped from Kagome's shoulder and hopped up on Miyuki's. He smiled sweetly at her, "You're very pretty."

"Aren't you just the cutest?" The older girl smiled as she ruffled the young fox yokai's hair. She removed her back pack and opened it up, finding a little treat that she could give the boy. "Here take this."

"Thank you." He grinned his thanks as he delved into the chocolate candies. "These are good!" He shouted with glee. Miyuki could only smile at his happy expression.

The green eyed girl gasped as she felt someone take her hand, finding herself staring into the eyes of the monk, Miroku. "Your eyes are amazing, such a vibrant emerald color." He muttered softly. "May I ask a favor of you?"

She looked toward Kagome, noticing her here-we-go-again expression, and then turned her gaze on the demon-slayer, Sango. She instantly saw the woman's spite at what the monk was probably going to ask her. "Whatever you had in mind, good monk, does not seem like a good enough favor to be asked. Besides," she smiled knowingly, "You're really aren't my type."

Miroku looked disheveled at her words. How had this girl known what he was going to ask? He looked down at his feet and let go of her hand, sulking. He moved back to his spot beside his other companions. Sango had a slight smirk on her face as she looked at the monk, then over to Miyuki who mouthed a 'you're welcome' in her direction.

"Hey, how about we go see how Lady Kaede is doing?" Kagome suggested to break the semi-awkward silence. Everyone nodded and started on the way out of the forest. As they exited the thick trees, a quaint little village came into view. Miyuki stared at it in wonder.

The group made their way through the village and found a slightly larger house than the rest. They walked inside with Miyuki at the rear. An older woman, looking to be in her late fifties early sixties smiled as she greeted them. "Welcome back everyone." She looked at them all with her one good eye and then let it fall on the new face. "My now, who is this?"

Miyuki bowed her head as a soft smile graced her lips. "I am Miyuki, my lady, a relative of Kagome's from beyond the well."

"Such good manners and a relative of young Kagome. Ye will always be welcome here." The older woman smiled at the girl who bowed her head in thanks.

"Have you heard anything of Naraku, Priestess Kaede?" Sango asked the older woman, getting right down to business like the demon-slayer she is.

"I have not heard anything of him recently." Kaede spoke slowly, to which everyone gave an audible sigh except for Inuyasha who scoffed. "Yet I have heard that there are some strange things going on in a village not too far from here."

"Maybe we can find a jewel shard there." Kagome said hopefully.

"Aye, there may be." Kaede nodded before gazing out at the fading light of day. "Ye should all rest here for the night; tomorrow's adventures are going to be long."

"Yes that would probably be the best course of action at this moment." Miroku chimed in. "Thank you once again for your hospitality, Priestess Kaede." Everyone but Inuyasha bowed their heads in thanks, to which Miyuki noticed. She walked up to him and started to scratch behind one of his sensitive ears.

"Bow your head in thanks, fur ball." She muttered under her breath. To everyone's surprise, he listened and did as she asked.

"Wow Miyuki! What kind of power did you use to make Inuyasha, of all people, listen to what you said?!" Shippo grinned in awe at the older girl.

"Knowledge." She smiled as she removed her hand from the inu hanyou's mass of silver white hair. Inuyasha gave the girl a soft growl as he folded his arms across his chest, huffing in frustration.

…

A few hours later everyone, except Inuyasha, was asleep. He was leaning against the back wall of Kaede's hut with Tessaiga leaning against his shoulder. A muffled whine made him look over to the sleeping bodies of his companions. He heard a few more whimpers and saw movement from the corner of his eye. A figure sat up next to Kagome's sleeping form and he could hear it gasp as well as smell some sweat. He watched the figure stand up and shakily walk out of the hut.

Miyuki looked up at the sky as she leaned on the outside wall of Kaede's hut, watching the stars twinkle through blurred eyes. The same dream haunted her mind as she turned her eyes to the moon. Slowly, she slid down the wall and drew her knees to her chest, sobbing quietly. The dream had felt much more real this time; as if she was seeing through the dead girl's eyes and not in third person like normally.

"What're you crying about, ya big baby?" A gruff voice rumbled from beside the girl.

"Go away, fur ball." Miyuki sighed, not looking up at the hanyou to her side.

"You had a nightmare, didn't you?" He leaned on the door frame and kept his voice low as to not wake the others.

"It was the same dream." The girl choked out. "The same dream I told you and Kagome about." She looked back to the stars quietly before continuing. "I saw eyes the same color as yours, Inuyasha, but they were so cruel, cold and could bore into one's soul."

"Cold and cruel huh? Sounds kinda like that bastards." The hanyou scoffed as he looked out into the distance.

"Who?" Miyuki looked up at him with slight curiosity in her emerald eyes.

"My stupid half-brother." He gripped the hilt of Tessaiga tightly thinking about the inu yokai.

"You guys don't get along very well I'm guessing." She smiled slightly, looking up at the silver white haired boy.

"That hard to figure out for ya?" He gruffly responded, only making her chuckle softly.

"Oh? That sarcasm I'm hearing? Want another scratch behind the ears?" She flexed her long nailed fingers at him, smirking as she earned a glare in response.

"Just go back to bed, it's late." He muttered, turning to head back into the small hut.

"Inuyasha?" Miyuki spoke up softly, looking to the door frame. He turned to give her a harsh glare, but his eyes softened slightly at her smile. "Thank you for talking with me, I feel better now." She stood slowly and walked past him into the hut, going to lie back down.

"You're welcome, I guess." He muttered before resuming his sitting position inside the hut. Little did the two of them know, their entire conversation was heard by one of their companions who should have been asleep.

…

A/N- Thanks who all that reviewed on the last chapter! They helped to perk up my mood and write this chapter! I'm sorry if it's a little short and based mostly on interaction between Miyuki and Inuyasha. Next chapter though, there's going to be a little surprise and that's all I'm going to say! Thanks again and feel free to drop the story a review so far!


	4. The Cold Chapter 3

The Cold Chapter 3

In the morning, almost everyone was up bright and early. Kagome was making a quick breakfast while everyone else packed up supplies they would need for the days travel. Miyuki was the last to awaken, and smiled when she noticed that after she had gone back to sleep that it was dreamless. She smiled at Kagome as she sat close to the cooking fire.

"Want some help there, cuz?" Miyuki watched as the girl gave her a strange sideways glance.

"No I'm almost done with the cooking anyway. Thank you for asking though." Kagome gave the older girl a nervous smile. The two girls were the only ones in the hut at the moment, and Miyuki could tell there was something off with her cousin.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" The older girl crossed her arms over her chest and kept her eyes on the young miko, sensing there was tension in her.

"Can't hide much from you can I?" Kagome sighed and poked at whatever she was cooking. "I heard you and Inuyasha talking last night and was wondering what's going on between the two of you."

"Is that all?" The green eyed girl chuckled as she watched her cousin. "You have nothing to worry about; he's yours and yours alone." She saw the younger girl blush. "He only came to talk to me because I had that dream again."

"Did you remember anything else from it?" Kagome asked, losing all of her negative feelings toward the older girl.

"I remembered seeing golden eyes like Inuyasha's, and he told me that the coldness in them reminded him of his half-brother." Miyuki shuddered at the eyes flashing through her mind in remembrance.

"Sesshomaru's eyes were in your dream?" Kagome took the food from the fire, but kept her chocolate eyes focused on the green eyed girl.

"That's his name?" Miyuki watched her cousin nod and continued. "Normally I see the dream in third person, but last night I was the girl that died; the one that caused the one demoness her anguish." She pulled one of her knees close and rested her chin on top of it.

"Wow." Was the only word that came out of the younger girl's mouth as she finished with making breakfast. Just as she had finished with the last touches, the rest of the two cousin's companions walked into the hut. "Good morning, everyone!" Kagome chirped happily.

"Good morning, Kagome." Sango smiled. "And good morning to you too, Miyuki." The green eyed girl nodded, with a soft smile on her lips.

"I got you both presents!" Shippo grinned at both cousins. He handed Kagome a white wild flower and then handed a blue one to Miyuki almost shyly.

"Thank you, Shippo." Both girls said at the same time, and smiled at one another.

"I think someone has a little crush on you Miyuki." Kagome nodded her head toward the little kitsune who was still looking shyly at the older girl. The green eyed girl looked down at the little fox and opened her arms to him, which he gladly accepted and jumped into them.

"You're such a little cutie, Shippo." Miyuki smiled as she ran a hand through the boy's auburn hair. He only giggled at her and cuddled closer to the older girl.

The companions then sat down to the amazing breakfast Kagome had prepared. They talked and laughed softly as they ate. Inuyasha even got 'sat' for snatching some food away from Shippo. Soon they were finished and cleaned up the cooking mess. They packed up the rest of their things and started on the road to investigate the nearby village.

…

The demoness sat on the mountain top, snow silently falling around her and down to the human village hundreds of feet below. She knew the village well, for she had been coming to the same spot for a little over two hundred years. Her sadness would wrap the village in a mid-summer snow storm for the week she would sit atop the same mountain. "Her mother came from this same village…" The demoness whispered to herself.

"You still come here." Stated the one that had walked up behind the mourning demoness. "What does your mate think when you come here around this time every year… I wonder." The silky male voice continued.

"Daisuke knows my reasons for coming here, he is just too involved in clan conflicts to notice my absence." She responded coolly, her frozen light green eyes never looking away from the space in front of her. "Tell me, why have you come here at this moment, Lord Sesshomaru? Did you come here to laugh at my sadness?"

"Your sadness is of no importance to me, Lady Kiyoko." His golden eyes were devoid of any emotion as he looked down at the demoness.

"You would not mourn the loss of your half-brother I take it?" A small smirk graced the blue-white haired woman's lips as she felt slight anger rise in the daiyokai. "I lost first my half-sister on that fateful night, over two hundred years ago, my father not too long after that. Are their deaths not worth mourning?" Her voice was cold as she glared back at the silver-white haired form. "You would not think so, since you dogs are not as caring of family as we wolves." Her gaze moved back down to the snow covered village.

"I take you still blame me for your half-breed sister's death." His voice was just as cold as it always had been. "Only because I was the last one who spoke with her before her death."

"Too interested in something else to have noticed the hidden attackers were you?" Kiyoko's voice held its own coldness. "I wonder what my late sister did to distract the great Lord Sesshomaru." A smirk graced her pale lips.

"Her half-breed smell warded off any other stench from reaching my nose." He growled before turning his back on the demoness and walking away, disappearing into the snow forsaken land.

"If only your father had created the Tenseiga earlier than his mating with his own human love. Maybe then Fuyuko would still be alive." Kiyoko sighed as she looked back down to the human village. "Life is so full of 'if only' and 'what if.' It's only sad that we cannot change what fate has in store for us." A small smile graced her lips as the snow stopped falling.

Kiyoko closed her eyes to rest, letting her other senses take over while she regained her strength. 'Father, you died of a broken heart so soon after sister's death all because you loved her and her mother so much. I do not detest you for leaving me, in an arranged mating with Daisuke no less. Yet I cannot shake the feeling that my power hungry mate had something to do with both of your deaths. I will look into it more when I return home, for now I must rest.'

…

"What?" Inuyasha growled after being annoyed by Miyuki, who had been poking him in the back with a stick for the last five minutes.

"Do something funny." Her green eyes sparkled with amusement at his annoyance. Shippo chuckled softly from her shoulder at her antics. She had been waiting for Inuyasha to lose his patience with her so Kagome would make him 'sit.'

"Miyuki would you please stop." Kagome sighed, getting slightly annoyed at her older cousin's childish behavior.

"But… the boredom…" The older girl pouted. She then pulled her back pack off and rummaged through it, pulling out her mp3 player. Placing the ear buds into their rightful place, she turned the small device on and started listening to music. "Shippo, hitch a ride with someone else for a while please?" She smiled at the little kitsune who nodded.

Miyuki fell to the back of the group and started to dance a little as they walked. She didn't notice the others giving her strange glances as she fell into her own little world of music.

"Why is she listening to someone screaming about bodies hitting the floor?" Inuyasha looked over to Kagome to answer his question, his ears twitching.

"It's just the kind of music she likes I guess." Kagome smiled. She did worry about her cousin's choice of music though, since their whole group occasionally witnessed a good bit of death. She hoped that it wouldn't foreshadow anything bad to come as the group continued their trek toward the 'strange happenings' village.

As the group got nearer to their destination a cold wind started to blow. A chill went through almost everyone at the brisk change in temperature, excluding Inuyasha and Miyuki.

"Why is it so cold all of the sudden?" Shippo's shrill voice broke the silence as he cuddled into Kagome's arms for extra warmth.

"Look, up ahead!" Sango looked shocked by what she saw, as well as the rest of them, except Miyuki. The green eyed girl kept walking until she was ahead of the group.

"Would you look at that!" Miyuki smiled as she removed an ear bud. "Snow in the summer!" She looked back at her companions. "I guess this is said strange happening."

"I wonder where it's coming from; there's hardly a cloud in the sky!" Kagome shivered out. "I don't sense a jewel shard anywhere around this though."

"We should still investigate, just in case." Miroku rested his staff in the crook of his elbow as he put his hands into the sleeves of his robe, looking at the snow covered area ahead of them.

"I agree, some sort of demon could be causing this early winter." Sango clutched at the strap which held her Hiraikotsu to her back.

"It's just some snow, why bother if there are no jewel shards present?" Inuyasha scowled at the rest of his companions. He took in a deep breath and froze, growling slightly.

"What is it?" Kagome came up beside the inu hanyou and glanced in the direction his golden gaze was staring.

"I swear I could smell Sesshomaru." His eyes were narrowed, a hand gripping the hilt of Tessaiga.

"The snow's just playing tricks on you, fur ball." Miyuki smiled as she ran further into the snowy area, dancing around in the white fluff. "Besides, I think I see the village up ahead." The group turned their eyes in the direction the green eyed girl was looking. Small gray puffs of smoke were rising toward the sky from fires used to keep warm.

As they made their way closer to the village, the snow began to fall once more. Some villagers were milling about in the snow, the looks on their faces hopeless. An older male villager was staring at one of the mountains, a slight twinkle in his dark eyes.

"Excuse me?" Miroku looked the older male over. "Would you perhaps know why this village is covered in snow?"

"A monk…" The old man looked to the others in the group. "A demons slayer as well?" He seemed to ignore Miroku's question. "We're saved!" He shouted, moving so quickly a bone along his spine made a sharp snap. "Ahhh!" He fell over into the snow in pain.

"Oh no!" Kagome knelt down beside the old man ."Where is your home? We need to get you there to rest!"

"And a priestess… we are truly saved…" The old man muttered through the pain in his back. "My home? Over that way." His gnarled hand pointed toward the end of the village.

They helped the old man to his home, where they were greeted by a young woman. "Grandpa!" She was quickly beside the elderly man and helped him to his sleeping area. She returned a few minutes later and bowed to the group. "Thank you for helping my grandfather get back here safely. Do you know what happened to him?"

The group explained what happened as the young woman made them some hot tea. "I see… Grandpa was talking about the demon on the mountain." She handed them all a cup of the steaming liquid. "Every year, for nearly over two hundred years, around this time the demon appears and with it comes all this snow. Many of the village men have gone up each year to try and quell the demon, but it either takes no notice to them or sends them back to us in a stupor."

"The demon has never killed anyone though?" Sango looked at the young woman over her cup, questioningly.

"Not intentionally, the coldness that comes with the snow makes some of the villagers catch a chill. Some of them recover while others…. Are not so lucky." The woman bowed her head as if in thought. "If it isn't too much to ask, I think my grandfather was hinting that your group may be able to save us from the demon." She gave them a small smile.

"Of course we shall help." Miroku blurted out, looking over the young woman with that familiar look in his eye. Sango already had a hold on his ear before he could ask his normal question.

"Is there any place we can get some warmer clothes?" Kagome chirped, noticing Shippo was still shivering in her arms.

"Of course. My parents and siblings are no longer among the living, so it would honor me to give you their winter clothes." The woman stood up before anyone could object and went to get said clothing. She returned with an arm full of colorful cloth.

Miroku, Kagome, Sango and Shippo each got something warmer to put over their normal clothing, while Miyuki and Inuyasha didn't bother with any of it. Kagome gave her cousin a strange look, since she was wearing 'modern' summer clothes.

"Um, Miyuki why aren't you picking out warmer clothes?" The younger girl watched her cousin closely.

"You know I hardly get cold." Miyuki responded, her eyes gazing out of the door.

"That's true but you've always gotten sick when you didn't dress warmly enough." Kagome scolded. "At least put one of these around your shoulders." She handed her cousin a light blue colored kimono.

Miyuki smiled at her cousin's worry for her heath and slide the kimono over her shoulders. The cloth was silky to the touch but heavy enough to keep the chill at bay. She let it hang open so she could still move around freely since it was a little long.

"You look absolutely stunning." Miroku gave the green eyed girl a once over with his eyes lingering slightly on her hips and her chest.

"You're still not my type, flattery will get you nowhere you lecherous monk." Miyuki gave the monk a glare, her eyes seemingly changing to acid. Miroku backed down hastily looking elsewhere.

"Let's check out this so called demon and then get the hell out of here. We've got jewel shards and Naraku to hunt down." Inuyasha's gruff voice was laced with impatience as he made his way out of the hut.

The rest of the group thanked the young woman for her hospitality and followed behind Inuyasha. They came to the foot of the mountain and looked up at their intended destination. As they made their way up the mountain, the snow seemed to get thicker and the air colder.

When the group reached the peak, the snow was falling so thickly that they could hardly see five feet in front of them. Even Inuyasha with his keen eyesight was having trouble seeing through the thick white particles. He halted as he saw a shadowed figure sitting in front of him, his hand automatically reaching for Tessaiga.

"There is no need for you to pull out your fang, young hanyou." A calm but chilled voice broke through the howling wind. The figure stood, with its back still toward the group. "Have you come to ask me to leave like all the others who came before you?" The voice was definitely feminine, the calm of it slightly unnerving.

The snow fall became slower and the group could clearly see the demoness before them. Her figure was slender, her hair almost the same color as the snow, but with a sheen of light blue. She turned to the group and her piercing light green eyes glanced over every face, settling on one face in particular.

Miyuki's eyes widened as she took in the appearance of the demoness standing before her. It was the same demoness from her dreams. The same demoness she saw so happy at first, only to have her become distraught. The demoness herself was looking at Miyuki with wide eyed recognition.

"You're her… The demoness from my dreams…" Miyuki spoke as she took a few shaky steps forward.

"Fuyuko?" The demoness took a few steps toward the girl who so resembled her half-sister's human form. "It can't be… You died over two hundred years ago…" Her voice was full of shock.

"I know who you speak of, but I am not her." The green eyed girl looked sadly over the demoness before her.

"I was told as much, yet it is still shocking to see someone that resembles my younger sister so." A small, sad smile graced the demoness's pale rosy lips. "I am sorry that I have to do this." With blinding speed, the demoness was in front of the human girl. She quickly punched the girl in the stomach to knock her out cold.

"Ki…yoko…" the name came out of Miyuki's mouth just before her vision faded to black.

"Miyuki!" Kagome shouted as she saw her cousin slump forward into the awaiting arms of the demoness. The group of people were already in their battle stances, giving the demoness foul stares.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way, but I am taking this girl somewhere she'll be safe from the false prophet that told me about her. His 'eyes' are watching even now." Her pale eyes looked to the clear sky at a swarm of insects hovering not too far away. "Do not fret; it will be hard for him to find her. My name is Kiyoko of the Snow Moon wolf clan. We shall meet again." A green light surrounded the demoness as she took off into the sky with Miyuki in tow.

"Miyuki!" Kagome shouted again as she fell to her knees in the soft layer of snow, tears welling up in her chocolate eyes.

"Those are Naraku's insects!" Inuyasha growled as he watched the wasp like demons following their every move.

"What would Naraku want with Miyuki?" Sango also watched the Saimyosho as they started to fly off.

"I'm not sure." Miroku spoke, thoughtfully. "Maybe there's more behind her character than even she knows. We should continue on our quest for now, it may lead to some answers."

"Yeah…" Kagome agreed as she stood up, wiping at her eyes. "The closer we get to Naraku, the more we can find out." The small group turned and left the mountain then, heading back toward the human village at its foot.

…

A/N- Thank you all for reading this part of The Cold! I also thank everyone that reviewed/favorited/followed this story! If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask them, and please leave a review if you have the time! They give me the confidence and giddiness to write on!


	5. The Cold Chapter 4

The Cold Chapter 4

A burst of green light surrounded the small meadow as Kiyoko crashed down into the sea of grass. She looked at the young human girl in her arms and sighed. She hated having to take the poor girl away from her friends, yet she was mildly surprised when the girl said her name before fainting. What did this human know about her?

The demoness sat down in the meadow, laying the girl, Miyuki, down in front of her. She carefully took in the girl's appearance, noting that she did indeed look like her late sister on the nights of the new moon. Kiyoko gently reached out and moved a few strands of hair out of the girl's face, noticing a blue sheen to it as the sunlight hit it. She watched the girl's still closed eyes rapidly flutter as her breathing got a little more erratic.

"Did I hit her too hard? Is she in shock from how fast we traveled here? Oh I shouldn't have flown so fast!" Kiyoko kept worrying herself as the girl broke into a slight sweat. "My stupid decisions are killing her! No no no!" She watched as the girl shot up from her lying down position, gasping and with her green eyes wide.

Miyuki placed a hand on her head as tears came to her eyes. The dream was once again just as intense as the one she had the night before. She quickly glanced at her surroundings, noting that she wasn't in the winter wonderland anymore. Hearing a relieved sigh next to her, she turned her gaze to the owner, her eyes widening. It was the same demoness from her dreams, and she looked back at Miyuki with worry in her pale eyes.

"Are you… alright?" The demoness spoke softly, worry still evident in her gaze. "I thought I'd hurt you horribly by bringing you here, or when I knocked you out or…"

"I'm fine, I suppose. My gut still hurts a little from that punch you threw at me, but that's all." Miyuki smiled softly as she let her eyes wander over the beautiful demoness. "You really are the same demoness from my dreams."

"Oh?" A curious tone full upon Kiyoko's voice. "Is that why you are not upset with me for stealing you away from your companions?"

"Well," Miyuki let her gaze fall to her hands as she bit her lip, "I'm slightly upset, but I'm more curious as to who exactly you are, Kiyoko." The demoness looked a little shocked that the girl knew her name and used it so openly.

"Hm… Interesting, tell me of your dreams. Only then shall I answer if you are right or wrong about me." Kiyoko gave the human a sly, wolfish smile and she had a curious twinkle in her pale green orbs.

"Let me see… At the beginning you were joyful, happily chatting with a half demon about some sort of party." Miyuki rested a hand on her chin in thought. "Your father was a full blood wolf yokai, as well as your mother, making you a full blood one as well. You got to the party and there's a demon there, his eyes like hardened gold. The hanyou leaves after she's insulted by said demon's mother. He's the last one to speak with that girl before she dies…" Sadness enveloped the human girl as tears once again stung her eyes. "You were so devastated."

Kiyoko listened to the girl's every word with shock written all over her pale features. She covered her mouth with her hand as she also felt tears burning through her eyes. "Almost every part of that was correct…" The demoness whispered, looking down at her hand which held a clump of grass tightly.

Miyuki's pain of the dream mirrored the domoness's as a tear finally made its way down her cheek. "Who was the hanyou girl?" She kept her gaze on Kiyoko, curiosity hidden behind her tear filled eyes.

"My younger half-sister." Kiyoko stared calmly at the human before her. "Though we were closer like pure blood sisters, she was the best friend that I would ever have. Her name was Fuyuko and you remind me so much of her with just the way you look." Her smile was sad as she looked the girl over.

The dark haired girl moved to sit beside the demoness and hesitantly rested her head on the, now intrigued, pale woman's shoulder. Kiyoko let her head lean over to rest on the human's just enjoying the small comfort. As the demoness inhaled the girl's scent washed over her sense of smell; her scent was a mix between a spice and roses.

"What about the golden eyed demon? Who exactly is he?" Miyuki suddenly broke the comfortable silence.

"Oh, you must mean Lord Sesshomaru, no?" Kiyoko watched the girl from the corner of her pale eyes. "He's cold, doesn't show much emotion. He keeps his word and gets the job done. Not too long after his father's passing he became the ruler of the Western Lands." The demoness reluctantly lifted her head from the human's feeling a rise in youki. "I have the feeling you'll meet him soon enough. In fact, I think I feel his presence coming this way as we speak.

Miyuki glanced up at the demoness before a chill crept its way up her spine. She turned slightly to look behind the both of them, noticing a silvery glimmer in the dense trees. Her gaze was locked onto the spot at the strange man that emerged from the forest. "It's him…" She muttered under her breath.

His silvery white hair, which fell to about his knees, shimmered as he walked into the sunlight that bathed the grassy clearing. He wore a white Haori with red/orange honeycomb designs at the ends of the sleeves and to the left of the neckline. A fluffy boa like thing was wrapped over his right shoulder, trailing almost to the ground. A black breast plate adorned his chest, with a shoulder guard which was marred with sharp spikes reaching around his left shoulder. His hakama were simply white, puffing slightly at the bottom due to being tucked into ankle high, black, pointed toed boots.

Sesshomaru first noticed the demoness, whose back was still turned to him, then the human girl at her side who stared at him with emerald green eyes. Her scent was carried to him on a soft breeze that flitted through the serene clearing. His cold golden orbs stared into hers for a few seconds before turning them to Kiyoko. "Should you not be up on your mountain, weeping over the loss of your half breed sister instead of in the company of this human?" his voice was like cold silk and he noticed the human shiver as he spoke, though the smell of fear did not radiate off of her.

"I may still be there if this girl hadn't shown up with her friends. Your brother was with her." A smirk appeared on the fair haired demoness's lips, feeling slight anger in his youki. "But I digress; I brought this girl with me to protect her."

"Oh?" He looked over the human girl once again, nothing about her really sticking out to him.

"That man that you're chasing after wants her for something." Kiyoko was quiet as her pale gaze fell onto the emerald eyed girl.

"What?" Miyuki finally snapped out of her daze, tearing her eyes away from the enigma of the demon lord to look at the fair demoness. "Someone's chasing after me?" She watched the demoness nod and fell back into the grass. "Perfect. I'm only here for a little over a day and already on someone's hit list." Muttering more to herself, she covered her eyes with her forearm to block out the brightness of the sun.

Both demons watched the strange human girl. The dull blue sheen on her hair sparkling in the sunlight, which both noticed. Kiyoko stood to finally face the inu daiyokai and tilted her head to the side before walking in that direction. Sesshomaru looked the human over one last time before following after the wolf demoness.

"Other than the fact Naraku is chasing after this girl, what is the importance of you bringing her closer to me?" Sesshomaru got right down to the matter of things.

"She knows of that night." Kiyoko's eyes were trained on the demon lord's, staring coldly at one another. "I'm wondering if she'll know any more of what had befallen my sister after you left. Besides, she seemed more interested in you. Do you know why that is?"

"How much does she know?" He completely ignored her question as his eyes narrowed.

"That I am uncertain of. From what it seems, she remembers things in bursts." Kiyoko looked back to the girl lying in the grass. She pulled a pair of wakizashi from her kimono sleeves and walked back over to the human girl.

Miyuki heard the swish of robes and looked to the demoness as the latter held out two short swords to her. "Are they for me?" She asked in which Kiyoko nodded. "Thank you… I guess, but I have no idea how to wield a blade, let alone two at once." She gently took the blades from the demoness and laid them in her lap.

"They were my sister's blades." The girl looked like she wanted to give the swords back as soon as the words left Kiyoko's mouth. "I want you to have them; you don't seem to have any sort of weapon on you anyway. You're going to need to learn how to use them if that person is after you." She turned to look over at the demon lord and a brilliant idea struck her. "I also would wish you would travel with Lord Sesshomaru."

"What?!" Both voices clashed together, one seemingly angry while the other was stunned. Their eyes were both on the wolf demoness.

"It's perfect for the both of you though!" Kiyoko beamed in her defense. "You will be able to learn how to defend yourself." She pointed toward Miyuki. "You would be able to find that Naraku guy faster if he is after her." She smirked to the demon lord. "It is all very simple if you ask me."

"I do not wish for that human to accompany me, let alone try to teach her how to handle her blades." The coldness in Sesshomaru's voice sent shivers down Miyuki's spine.

"I think I can train myself fine with these blades." The green eyed girl stood quickly, glaring at the taller demon. "Besides, I'd rather not be bait for this 'Naraku' person. Who the hell is he anyway?"

"He's none of your concern, onna." Golden eyes glared over at the human.

"I'd say he is my concern if it's me he's looking for, baka." Her emerald orbs glared right into the golden ones. A growl passed through the demon lord's throat at the girl's choice of words.

"Enough, both of you!" Kiyoko muttered, looking between the human and the demon. "It would still be better if the two of you worked together to find out what Naraku wants. Now, with that said, I must be off. Try not to kill the poor girl, Lord Sesshomaru." With that, Kiyoko took to the skies and out of sight before the two could respond.

"Hn." Sesshomaru turned his back on the girl and started to walk back the way he had come from.

Miyuki stared into the sky where Kiyoko had vanished and sighed to herself. Her curiosity got her into this mess in the first place. If only she hadn't gone into the well with Kagome she wouldn't be stuck with this stick-up-his-ass demon.

"Do not make this Sesshomaru wait, onna." The cold silky voice traveled back to her ears and she sighed. The demon lord did not know what had come over him to accept this girl so quickly, due to the fact that she was human. Maybe she could at least be helpful and take care of Rin.

"Coming, your demon lordiness." She mock bowed and quickly moved to catch up to him.

Miyuki looked over the demon leading the way to god-knows-where. She watched his long hair as it shimmered in the sunlight that bypassed the thick leafy canopy above them. His hair looked silky and soft, and she debated about reaching out to touch it. If she did, there would probably be many consequences; he'd most likely chop off her hand or plain kill her. Finally she decided against it and turned her eyes away from him to look at the scenery.

Suddenly, the green eyed girl lost her footing, her ankle bowing at a strange angle. A soft eeping sound escaped her lips as she tried to regain her balance, and failing miserably. She felt herself run into something firm and rigid, but kept her eyes closed. "Me and my stupid feet." Miyuki mumbled as her eyes drifted open, silver-white blocking her vision. Her eyes moved up to see unamused golden orbs staring back down at her.

"Sorry!" She yelped out, moving away from the demon lord, some of his hair clinging to hers.

"Hn… Watch where you are going." Sesshomaru continued to walk on, leaving the girl in stunned silence as his hair fell away from hers. She was slightly surprised that he hadn't lashed out at her, and had just given her a fair warning, due to the tone of his voice. His hair had been extremely silky and soft, much to Miyuki's liking. She did admit though that it was embarrassing how she tripped over her own two feet. She then resumed her walk to catch up to him, making sure that she didn't trip again.

"So… Where are we going exactly?" Miyuki perked up after a semi awkward silence.

The inu daiyokai didn't answer as they entered into a small clearing. A little girl no older than seven or eight was leaning against a large, two headed dragon. She was pulling petals off of a flower to pass the time when the beast behind her lifted its massive heads. Feeling the movement, she looked to where the dragon's eyes had landed, seeing the white clad demon lord coming out of the trees.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" She shouted happily as she stood up, her big brown eyes full of wonder.

"Milord you have returned!" An impish toad like demon bowed low, his large yellow eyes shining in respect to his lord.

Miyuki took in the appearance of everyone in the small group from the sidelines. Only one other seemed to notice her; besides the demon lord that had led her here. The two headed dragon stood from its relaxed position and meandered over toward her. Standing at least two or three feet taller than her, the beast lowered its two heads to stare at her with its catty yellow eyes.

"Ah-Un?" The little girl looked at the dragon with interest. It lifted its left head to look at the child before nudging the young woman toward her with its right head. The green eyed girl gave a slight gasp and looked at the beast before it nudged her forward once again.

She was now standing in the clearing, the dragon right beside her as the little girl and toad imp looked at her. Miyuki felt herself become shy as she looked at both of them before raising her hand in greeting. "Hello." She spoke softly.

…

A/N- And there you guys go! I've actually had this chapter written down on paper for a little while now, I wanted to see how far I could get into the next one before posting this one though. I'm also very sorry for the wait! I had a lot of ideas in my mind at one time for multiple stories besides this one! Don't hurt me! I thank those that have reviewed/followed this story, you all keep me going!

Oh dat Kiyoko! She may be a demon, but she actually shows some sense of emotion! I think she has her own reasons for sending Miyuki off with Sesshomaru though… Anyway I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll try to get the next chapter out soonish! Take care!


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